Composed between 2004 and 2022 the seven works on this album reflect the concerns and crises of our time. These include the pandemic, racial unrest, global conflict, reflections on the realities of war, the pervasive use of gun violence, pollution and social strife. The music oscillates between struggle and celebration and gives powerful glimpses of redemptive hope in our shared experiences, one that values civic identity and collective expression and offers a fanfare for those who shape our future for the better...

Brass for Uncommon Times sees a collective of 40 brass and percussion performers giving voice to socially relevant works. These seven works (9 tracks - 1 hr, 03 min, 05 sec confront societal division, racial injustice, gun violence, global crises and war, while also searching for hope, resilience and connection. From quiet reflection to bold, urgent passages, the music moves between struggle and celebration, tension and release. It guides listeners through uncertainty, offering moments of clarity and resolve. The project shows how music can reckon with the world as it is and inspire a vision of a more connected, hopeful future.

The album opens with Valerie Coleman’s 'Fanfare for Uncommon Times', which was written in response to the overlapping crises of the pandemic and the racial unrest of 2020, and uses the same instrumentation as Aaron Copland’s 'Fanfare for the Common Man.' Other highlights include Barbara York’s Tuba Concerto 'Wars and Rumors of War' and Félix Mendoza’s rousing 'Guerra de Secciones,' for brass and percussion, which draws on the rhythms and sounds of Venezuela.

The one thing that struck me was the variety of styles here. From the jazz-infused 'Allegro Furioso' from Barbara York' Tuba Concerto 'Wars and Rumors of War' to Katahj Copley's flow building 'Beyond' to Félix Mendoza's sounds of Venezuela in 'Guerra de Secciones'.

Track listing:

Valerie Coleman
01. Fanfare for Uncommon Times (6:45)

Satoshi Yagisawa
02. Blueshine Emblem, An Eternal Elegy (4:58)

Barbara York
Tuba Concerto, "Wars and Rumors of War" (version for tuba, brass ensemble and percussion) (21:02)
03. I. Allegro marcato (7:33)
04. II. Tranquillo (7:18)
05. III. Allegro furioso (6:11)

Katahj Copley
06. Beyond (7:00)

Harrison J. Collins
07. Young Voices (version for brass ensemble and percussion) (3:11)

Katelyn Petersen
08. Respire (12:35)

Félix Mendoza
09. Guerra de Secciones (7:18)

7

Darren Rea